Bill-file



2 SIleets--Sheet 1. H. E. ROBERTS,

Bill-Pile.

-No. 225,025. Patented Mar. 2, 1880.

unmmu ||||Ill| Ilweizfmw NFI-TIERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D4 C.

2 sheets-sheet 2.

HQByRoBERTS.

Bill-Pile.

N o. 225v 0125.

Patented Mar. 2, 1880. 1 I

N.FEEN. PHOT0 LITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. l)V

V UNITED STATES PATENT OEEieE.

HORACE E. ROBERTS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

' BILL-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent No. 225,025, dated March 2,1880.

Application filed May 7, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE E. ROBERTS, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Files for Documents and other Matters, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to those document-files which receive the papers to be filed therein between index-leaves sliding upon rods project ing from a suitable base.

My improvement consists, first, in constructing the base with a ridge projecting upwardly from the bottom plate of the file parallel with its front edge and a short distance back of the alphabet, so as to permit any portion of the latter to be depressed for the convenient insertion of the linger beneath the particular leaf which is to be raised.

My improvement consists, further, in a document-le constructed with rigid slotted rods, a plate or cover having a locking device, and suitable.indexleaves, as herein after described.

In order that my invention maybe fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is aperspective view of an open ile illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2, Fig. 3, showing the tile closed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 8, Fig. 2, showing the le closed. Fig. 4" is a perspective view of a transferringbar with hollow rods. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the mode of binding adapted for use with my invention.

A A are the division or index leaves, which may be marked with letters, numbers, or other characters, according to requirement. Said leaves are provided with eyelets a, or holes, in strengthening-strips of muslin 'or other material, and are arranged 4to slide on rods or wires B B, which project rigidly from a base, G, to which I prefer to add vertical back and sides C, making a box with an open front. D is a plate covering the leaves C, with the exception of their index, which is exposed for use.

Near the extremities of the rods B are eyes b, in which I insert a small rod or wire, I, to retain the leaves C and the plate D. `Said eyes are also for the purpose of receiving threads or small wires, which will be threaded through the eyelets of the several leaves A in the act of drawing the latter off bodily from the rods B. Slots b extend obliquely downward from the eyes to permit the easy threading of the same.

The plate or cover D has transverselyelongated holes or slots d, to adapt it to slide on the rods B in the same manner as the leaves A, and also to admit of raising the front edge of the plate freely to give access tothe leaves and support the plate in oblique position at a proper angle when the iile is turned on its back, as shown in Fig. l. Beneath the said cover, and between it and the first of the indexleaves A, are supplemental leaves E, be-

tween which documents are placed tempof rarily before filing them away under their re spective letters, dates, or other classification. Said space or apartment I designate the Daily Reminder,7 where' unanswered letters or other unfinished business is suggested to the user by memoranda ,that may be found deposited there. A reference-index is placed be- .neath the cover D for the purpose of facilitating the finding of the documents in the file after they have been removed from the temporary file. I keep the reference-index as a guide to all the letters filed away.

,To retain the cover D flrmly down on the leaves A, and any amount of matter between them, I employ sliding bolts F, connected at their inner ends to a pivoted thumb-piece, Gr, by the rotation of which, in either direction, they are driven out or retracted. The outer ends of the said bolts engage with vertical racks H in the sides O of the box.

To facilitate the separation of the leaves in order to open any division required, I employ a ridge, K, projecting upward from the surface of the bottom G parallel with its front edge and slightly in the rear of the projecting alphabet of the leaves. rBhe support thus afforded to the leaves permits the depression of IOO when used in connection with the alphabetized/ index-leaves, or lettered when used in connection with numbered leaves, said supplemental index-slips being for the purpose of classifying by date or letter the documents between the respective index-leaves, so that if the index-leaves be alphabetized the supplemental slips may be marked with the months or days of the month, according to whether the file is to be used for a year or a month.

I am thus enabled to classify under the particular letters of the alphabet correspondence or other documents. lf the principal indexleaves A be numbered for the days of the mouth the supplemental index-slips may be alphabetized, so as to arrange by initials the correspondence or other documents ofa particular day. In like manner supplemental index slips or leaves are arranged, if preferred, to classify by initials or by days the correspondence or other documents filed between index-leaves, which are marked with the months of the year.

The indexing may be by the names of the parties or of the particular documents, or any other suitable mode of classification may be employed for the arrangement and distribution of documents of different character, according to requirement.

Subdivision-leaves are used between the successive index-leaves when a large number of documents are to be filed. In the case of bills and invoices those unpaid may be placed above and those paid below said divisionleaves. In like manner, for filing letters, those unanswered are placed above and-those answered below. When used for music the subdivision-leaves may separate vocal from instrumental.

`Under the arrangement of leaves illustrated in Fig. l, only the months are exposed when the file is closed. Any desired month being opened, the numbers of the intervening leaves A corresponding with the days ofthe month are exposed, and on opening the required one of these alphabetized leaves A2 are revealed.

For the purpose of transferring the leaves with their contained matter from a monthly or temporary file to a yearly or permanent file, which latter is constructed with rods B B B at the same distance apart, and differs from the first h'le only in depth, I employ a bar, L, having tubular rods Z Z Z at proper distances to pass over the rods B B B, so that the entire body of leaves may be slipped on the tubular rods Z l l, and from them transferred to the rods B B B of the permanent or yearly file.

The matter for the different months is separated by division-leaves, which may b e colored, if desired.

Vhen the leaves with their contained matter are to be wrapped and/ put away without a file-box, suitable thread or cord is passed into the eyes b of the rods B, through the slots b', and the leaves slipped off, so .as to draw the thread through the eyelets. One end of the thread is then passed through the loops thereof, which are thus drawn through the eyes, an d the thread being then detached from the rods B and drawn tight, and the ends tied together, a permanent stitching or binding is produced, such as shown iu 5. The wholeis then covered with an envelope, (shown at M,) which is attached to the bottom leaf for the purpose.

What I claim as new and ofmy invention 1sl. In a document-file the base C, provided with a ridge, K, in combination with the index-leaves A, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A document-file constructed with rigid slotted rods B b', a plate or cover, D, a locking device, G F H, and suitable index-leaves A, as and for the purpose set forth.

HORACE E. ROBERTS. 

